SAN MANUEL: Erykah Badu brings neo soul sound May 30

Since debuting with âOn and Onâ in 1996, no singer has created a more unique stage persona or collection of music than Erykah Badu.

Along with Lyfe Jennings and Bobby V, she will bring all that uniqueness to San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino Thursday, May 30.

Badu ushered in a new style of R&B called neo-soul. It is the artful blending of traditional R&B with the influence of hip hop. Think of her as a cross between Billie Holiday and MC Lyte. As the first successful crossover artist of the genre, she is often referred to as âthe queen of neo-soul.â

Badu is the rare singer who despite her constant creativity has a sound that is instantly recognizable to fans. Her biggest hits âTyrone,â âBag Lady,â âLove of my Lifeâ and âHoneyâ are all completely different, however, they are all essential Badu tracks.

She is also an artist who has taken advantage of the popularity of music videos, creating memorable clips for âNext Lifetime,â âHoneyâ and âWindow Seat.â

As if Erykah Badu wasnât enough, joining her on the bill are R&B singers Lyfe Jennings and Bobby V.

Bobby V. gained fame with the single âSlow Downâ and his appearances on the Lil Wayne track âMrs. Officerâ and Ludacrisâ âPimpinâ All Over the World.â

Though Jennings had a rough start in life, he used his adversity to propel his music career. At young age, he spent ten years in prison. While there he wrote the music that led to several top 20 R&B hits.

With three different acts all waving the banner for R&B music, this should be an exciting show for fans of real soul music.

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